Transfer mechanism for weft replenishing looms



1940. R. G. TURNER 2,226,268

TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed March 16, 1940 mvs-u'rdn mos-man G. TURNER ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED ,STATES TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LO OMS Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass, assignor tov Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 16, 1940, Serial No. 324,351

14 Claims. (Cl. 139-241) This invention relates to improvements in the threading of shuttles in weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide means for establishing proper tension in the weft on the first pick subsequent to transfer.

In the weaving of fine yarns it is customary to line the walls of the shuttle with fur which-projects into frictional contact with the weft on the bobbin. During normal weaving the individual hairs of this fur ordinarily project more or less horizontally toward the bobbin. When a fresh bobbin is inserted into the shuttle the individual hairs of the fur are bent downwardly by the bobbinand on the first pick subsequent to transfer the unwinding weft is required to lift the fur to its normal position. The yarn is thussubjected to increased tension as it lifts the fur hairs and the resultant excess tension is likely tobe reflected in the appearance of the cloth.

It is an important object of my present invention to provide means for moving the tip end of the bobbin to an abnormally low position during transfer and rely upon the spring jaws which hold the bobbin to restore the latter to normal hori-' zontal position immediately after transfer and prior to picking. I find that in the-upward motion of the bobbin its yarn has sufiicient frictional contact with the fur to lift those hairs depressed during transfer to their normal horizontal position, and therefore the first pick after transfer is subjected to the same tension from the fur as exists on subsequent picks.

The same shuttle may during its life be used with a variety of yarns and it is a further-object of my present invention to provide means for varying the extent to which thetip end of the bobbin may be depressed below its normal position during transfer. This result I accomplish by an adjustment which changes the range of motion of that part of the transfer mechanism which engages the tip of the bobbin, and by this adjustment the relation between the fur and the yarn can be altered, depending upon the particular characteristics of the yarn being woven.

In bobbin changing mechanisms the bobbin next to be transferred usually moves totransfer position under the raised transferrer arm, whether the loom operates with one or more weaving shuttles. If that part of the mechanism which is to depress the bobbin tip should be rigid with the transferrer arm, the latter would need to be located at the position above that which it customarily occupies to provide a clear path for the reserve bobbin. The transferrer arm would therefore move through a greater distance than usual, requiring engagement between the lay and the transfer mechanism at an earlier point in the advance of the lay than exists at the present time, It is another object of my invention to provide a bobbin tip depressor of such form as to be clear of the path of a bobbin when the transferrer arm is raised without requiring the latter to bev normally'located any higher than at present. I carry this feature of my invention into effect by mounting the bobbin tip depressor for relative downward motion with respect to the transferrer arm, the-depressor ordinarily occupying the position of the usual transferrer' spoon when the transferrer arm is raised, but being moved to a position lower than the usual spoon when the .end of the shuttle eye.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient' embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a multicolor weft replenishing loom having my invention applied thereto, parts being in section and the transferrer arm being in its lowest position,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, certain parts being in section and the bobbin being shown with its tip depressed at the completion of a transfer stroke,

Fig. 3 is a detail sectionon line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3; but shows the bobbin tip lifted and the fur restored to normal position during the first part of the return stroke of thetransferrer arm toward its normally raised position, 1

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the head end of the bobbinand a shuttle carried spring clasp which yieldingly holds the bobbin rings,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the bobbin and the relation which it sustains to the bobbin ring holding clips, parts being in section, and'the bobbin being shown both in its depressed and in its normal positions,

Fig. '7 is a View similar to a portion of Fig. 2 but with the transferrer arm located above and out of contact with the bobbin, 2. condition which exists immediately before and after the completion of a transfer stroke, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective of the shuttle eye tension pads and the thread of a freshly transferred bobbin being drawn downwardly between the pads.

Referring to the drawing, the loom frame l0 supports the foot ll of a magazine M here shown as of the multicolor type. Certain features of my invention are not necessarily limited to this kind of a replenishing mechanism and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of my invention to a multicolor weft replenishing loom. This type of magazine is shown herein, however, because the application of my invention to such a loom presents certain problems the solution of which I wish to show. The magazine has a series of vertically extending webs I2 which define in the present instance four vertical compartments for as many stacks of reserve bobbins R. Included in the magazine are supports I3 and M located, respectively, in front of and behind transfer position. These supports of themselves form no part of my present invention and act as usual to hold a bobbin in transfer position as shown for instance in prior patent to Ryon No. 1,366,950. Vertical slides l5 control the release of the lowermost reserve bobbins of their respective stacks as shown for instance in Patent No. 1,030,748, and a bobbin released from any of the stacks will fall to the support thereunder and then roll to the transfer position indicated at W in Fig. 1.

The transferring mechanism comprises an arm 20 movable about a fixed pivot 2i and is normally held raised by a spring 22 as usual. The transferrer arm has a depending arm 23 carrying a latch holder 24 pivoted thereto at 25, and a rearwardly extending latch 26 held by the holder is adapted for engagement with a bunter 2'! fixed to the forwardly and backwardly reciprocating lay L. Vertical position of the latch 25 is determined by a rod 28 which is normally down so that the latch is below the path of the bunter. When a transferring operation is to occur the rod 28 is raised by well-known mechanism not shown herein to elevate the latch 26 into the path of the bunter 21 and during the latter part of the forward motion of the lay on a transferring beat of the loom the transferrer arm and the parts connected to it will be moved to lower the transferrer arm. The lowest position assumed by the transferrer arm and the end of a transferring stroke is shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

The transferrer arm has a heel 3B which, except as indicated hereinafter, may be of usual form and is adapted for engagement with the rings 3i on the head 32 of the reserve bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle S. The latter has front and back walls 33 and 34, respectively, to the adjacent surfaces of which are secured bodies of fur 35 and 36, respectively. The shuttle also has a bobbin holding jaw 31 having front and back arms 38 and 39, respectively, provided with beveled grooves 40 which receive the rings 3|. These grooves are vertical and will ordinarily be occupied by the rings to hold the bobbin with its axis substantially co-incident with the shuttle axis during normal weaving conditions. The

arms 38 and 39 yield with a separating motion when a fresh bobbin is inserted into the shuttle and then return to their normal position to grip the rings.

The bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle has a wound mass of yarn Y the end of which adjacent the bobbin tip T is customarily conical, as shown in 'Fig. 2. During weaving the yarn unwinds from the conical part of the mass of weft and leads to the right relatively to the shuttle as viewed in Fig. 2 toward the shuttle eye E.

The latter includes a pair of pads P the upper ends of which are flared as at 42 to form a downwardly converging receiving mouth for the weft. From the pads the yarn passes through the remainder of the shuttle eye and emerges from the delivery eye 43.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and operates in the usual manner, except as pointed out hereinafter. When the weft detector not shown initiates transfer the rod 28 will be raised and the transferrer arm depressed, the selected bobbin having previously moved from its stack toward transfer position along a path part of which extends under the transferrer arm. The latter is customarily held high enough so that the heel 30 does not interfere with a bobbin moving tQWard transfer position. During the downward motion of the bobbin into the shuttle, however, the fur on the front and back shuttle walls is depressed, the individual hairs being inclined downwardly from their respective supporting walls. As the bobbin moves out of the magazine into the shuttle its thread will extend from the conical part of the yarn mass Y over the top of the shuttle, as indicated at 48 in Fig. 2.

In carrying my present invention into effect I provide means the general purpose of which is to move the bobbin to an abnormally low position with respect to the shuttle at the end of a transferring stroke, after which an upward movement of the bobbin restores it to normal position prior to picking. The particular mechanism shown herein for accomplishing this general result comprises a lever 50 pivoted to the transferrer arm at 5| and extending preferably through a slot 52 in the transferrer arm. The right end of the lever 50 as viewed in Fig. 2 has a rounded shoe 53 positioned for engagement with the yarn mass on a bobbin, as suggested in Fig. 2. A small tension spring 54 interposed between the lever 50 and a finger 55 projecting from the transferrer arm normally holds the shoe 53 in raised position.

The left arm of lever 50 as viewed in Fig. 2 carries an adjustable stop screw 6| held in any selected position by lock nut 62 and has the lower end thereof arranged for engagement with a fixed stop 63 which is rigid with respect to the magazine, see Fig. 1.' The purpose of the stop and stop screw is to provide a temporary pivot for the lever 50 during the latter part of the transferring stroke to cause turning of the lever with respect to the transferrer arm against the action of spring 54.

Under normal conditions the transferrer arm is raised and the lever 50 will be so located that the shoe 53 is substantially at the level of the heel 30, this position being determined by a small lug 65 on the finger 55 against which the lever is held by the spring 54. When in the position described therefore the shoe 53 is above the path of a bobbin moving from any of the stacks toward transfer position. During descent .of the transferrer arm and when the'tra'nsferrer arm nears the lower .limit of its motion, the screws 6| will, engage the stop 63,-after which continued downward motion. of the transferrer arm and therefore thepivot 51 will cause the lever 50. to rock around stop 63 to project the shoe 53 downwardly while in engagement with the bobbin. The heel '30 engages the bobbin rings and moves the bobbin into the shuttle, placing the head between the yielding spring arms 38 and 39.

In the usual form of transfer the axis of the bobbin remains substantially parallel to the axis of the shuttle throughout the transferring operation, but it will be evident from Fig. 2 that shoe 53 moves the tipend of the bobbin downwardly'with respect to the head of the bobbin,

thereby inclining the axis of the bobbin and moving, the tip toan abnormally low position.

The extent of the inclination can. be varied by changing the setting of the screw 61. If. a slight inclination will suffice, screw 6| .is relatively high in the arm 69' and engages the stop 63 late in the descent of the tra-nsferrer arm. If the type of yarn is such as .to require a greater inclination of the bobbin, the screw 6| will be lowered I position, the individual hairs of the fur are inclined' downwardly, as at 10. As the lay recedes the transferrer arm starts to rise under action of the spring 22 in the usual manner and spring 54' will lift the shoe 53 relatively to the transferrer arm; During this upward motion of the shoe 53 the tip of the bobbin will rise due to the action of thespringjaws 38 and 39, and because I of the frictional contact between the fur and the yarn on the bobbin, the fur will be straight en'ed or moved to a generally horizontal posi tion,v as indicated in Fig. 4.

The upward motion of the bobbin is due to conditions illustrated in Fig. 6. bin moves into the shuttle with its axis inclined, the rings 3| are oblique with respect to the vertical grooves 40 and engagement of the rings with the inclined walls of the grooves exerts a slight spreading force on the arms 38 and 39. At the end of the transfer stroke the relation of the rings and these arms is set forth in Fig. 6 in full lines. The beveled edges of the grooves however act as cams and exert a force on the rings tending to move them to a Vertical position and as the shoe 53 rises the arms 38 and 39 and the beveled sides of the grooves 40 cooperate with the rings to move them to the vertical position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thereby raising the bobbin as indicated in dotted lines to make its axis substantially parallel to the shuttle axis. Thus it is seen that the spring jaws which hold the bobbin head rings, a customary part of shuttles for weft replenishing looms, act to restore the bobbin to proper position with respect to the shuttle and move the fur from the downwardly inclined position shown in Fig. 3 to the normal position shown in Fig. 4. The raising of the bobbin tip is gradual and is controlled by the rear motion of the lay through the bunter, latch, spring 22 and the transferrer When the b'ob-' lishment of normal conditions between the fur in the shuttle and the yarn on the bobbin occurs prior to the pick which immediately follows transfer. Although no picking mechanism is set forth herein, since the same is well known, it is to be understood that picking position is reached whenthe' lay has moved rearwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 to so-called top center. midway between front and back positions.

A further feature. of'my invention is shown in Fig. 8, from which it will be seen that downward motion of thetip end of the bobbin is accompanied. by a drawing of the weft into the throat defined by the inclines 42 at the top of the friction. pads P. While this downward motion. of

the bobbin. iscomparatively small it is nevertheless sufiicient to drag a portion of the weft between the tension plates, and having once been located in suchposi tion, the Weft tends to remain between the plates during the subsequent pick because of the fact that the bobbin axis'is generally below the throat.

From'the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means. for depressing the tip end of a bobbin to an abnormally low position during transfer so thatv subsequent restoration of the bobbin to its normal position by co-action of the spring jawsof the shuttle and the bobbin rings will straighten the fur from the. inclined position shown in Fig. 3 to the substantially horizontal position shown in Fig. 4. It will'also be seenthat the screw GI and the stop 63 provide means for adjusting the amount of inclination of the bobbin axis. Furthermore, by mounting the shoe 53 on a lever it is possible to keep the shoe in an elevated position when the transferrer arm is up to avoid interference between the shoe and a bobbin moving from a stacktoward transfer position. Also, the downward motion of the tip end of the bobbin effects "a partialthreading of the shuttle eye. Asa result of these several features, the first pick of the shuttle subsequent to transfer will lay a weft in the warp shed under conditions of tension substantially the same as those which exist-on the following picks and there will be no mark-in the cloth due to transfer.

' Having thus described my invention it will be .seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the'spirit and scope of the invention'and Ido not wish to be limited tothe details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1-. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle with front andback walls the inner surfaces of which carry fur the hairs of which project into engagement with the weft on a bobbin in the shuttle, the latter having yielding means to hold the bobbin head with the bobbin axis substantially parallel with the bottom of the shuttle, the loom having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into the; shuttle and held by the yielding means and the reserve bobbin tending to deflect the fur hairs downwardly when entering the shuttle, that improvement comprising means to move the tip end of the bobbin to a position below the normal posiwith front and back Walls the inner surfaces of which carry fur the hairs of which project into engagement with the weft on a bobbin in the shuttle, the latter having yielding means to hold the bobbin head with the bobbin axis substantially parallel with the bottom of the shuttle, the loom having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle and held by the yielding means and the reserve bobbin tending to deflect the fur hairs downwardly when entering the shuttle, that improvement comprising means to insert the bobbin head into the yielding means and move the bobbin tip to an abnormal low position below the normal position thereof relatively to the shuttle, the yielding means subsequently raising the bobbin tip to cause the frictional contact between the bobbin weft and fur hairs to raise the latter to normal position relatively to the bobbin.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle with front and back Walls the inner surfaces of which carry fur the hairs of which project into engagement with the weft on a bobbin in the shuttle, the latter having yielding means to hold the bobbin head with the bobbin axis substantially parallel with the bottom of the shuttle, the loom having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle and held by the yielding means and the reserve bobbin tending to deflect the fur hairs downwardly when entering the shuttle, that improvement comprising means to insert the bobbin head into the yielding means and simultaneously depress the bobbin tip to a position below the normal axis thereof, said inserting means thereafter moving out of contact with the bobbin and the yielding means elevating the bobbin tip to normal position to cause restoration of the fur hairs to normal position relatively to the bobbin by the frictional contact between the fur hairs and the bobbin weft.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle with front and back Walls the inner surfaces of which carry fur the hairs of which project into engagement with the weft on a bobbin in the shuttle, the latter having yielding means to hold the bobbin head with the bobbin axis substantially parallel with the bottom of the shuttle, the loom having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle and held by the yielding means and the reserve bobbin tending to deflect the fur hairs downwardly when entering the shuttle, that improvement comprising means to insert the bobbin head into the yielding means and simultaneously effect a relative downward motion of the bobbin tip with respect to the bobbin head to a position with the bobbin axis inclined downwardly relatively to the shuttle bottom, the yielding means thereafter restoring the bobbin to a position with its axis parallel to the shuttle bottom and causing up motion of the fur hairs due to frictional contact between the bobbin weft and the fur hairs.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle with front and back walls the inner surfaces of which carry fur the hairs of which project into engagement with the weft on a bobbin in the shuttle, the latter having yielding means to hold the bobbin head with the bobbin axis substantially parallel with the bottom of the shuttle, the loom having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle and held by the yielding means and the reserve bobbin tending to deflect the fur hairs downwardly when entering the shuttle, the loom having provision for inserting the bobbin head into the yielding means, that improvement comprising means to move the bobbin tip downwardly relatively to the shuttle to an abnormally low position, the yielding means thereafter raising the bobbin tip relatively to the shuttle to cause upward motion of the fur hairs due to frictional contact thereof with the bobbin weft.

6. In a weft replenishing loom having a shuttle with front and back walls the inner surfaces of which carry fur the hairs of which project into engagement with the weft on a bobbin in the shuttle, the latter having yielding means to hold the bobbin head with the bobbin axis substantially parallel with the bottom of the shuttle, the loom having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle and held by the yielding means and the reserve bobbin tending to deflect the fur hairs downwardly when entering the shuttle, the loom having provision for inserting the bobbin head into the yielding means, that improvement comprising means to effect relative motion between the bobbin tip and the bobbin head in a downward direction to place the bobbin tip below the bobbin head, the last named means thereafter moving away from the bobbin, whereupon the yielding means raises the bobbin tip relatively to the shuttle to cause upward motion of the fur hairs due to frictional contact thereof with the bobbin weft.

7. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay movable toward and away from a front center position and having a transferrer arm to be operatively connected to the lay during the motion of the latter toward the front center position and to remain operatively related to the lay with a part of the motion of the lay away from the front center position, the loom having a reserve bobbin to be inserted into a shuttle lined with fur which normally extends substantially horizontally into engagement with the weft on a bobbin in the shuttle, that improvement comprising means moving with the transferrer arm to engage the bobbin on a transferring operation of the loom to depress the bobbin tip to an abnormally low position at the end of a transferring operation, and means carried by the shuttle and engaging the bobbin to lift the bobbin tip to normal position as the transferrer arm rises during motion of the lay away from said front center position.

8. In a Weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin 'movable along a given path to transfer position and having a shuttle to receive the bobbin and lined with fur the hairs of which normally project substantially horizontally into frictional engagement with the yarn on a bobbin in the shuttle, the shuttle having resilient jaws to hold rings on the bobbin and tending normally to hold the bobbin substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, the loom having a transferrer arm normally above said path to descend at the time of transfer and insert the bobbin into the shuttle and the rings into said jaws, that improvement comprising a bobbin tip depressor movably mounted on the transferrer arm and normally above said path and movable downwardly with the transferrer arm, and means to move the depressor downwardly relatively to the transferrer arm as the latter descends into engagement with the bobbin to move the bobbin tip to an abnormally low position relatively to the said shuttle axis and cause the yarn on the bobbin to depress the fur hairs downwardly, the resilient jaws subsequently lifting the bobbin tip to cause the yarn on the bobbin to raise the fur hairs to normal position due to fricnormally project substantially horizonally into frictional engagement with the yarn on a bobbinin the shuttle, the shuttle having resilient jaws to hold rings on the bobbin and tending normally to hold the bobbin substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, the loom having a transferrer arm normally above said path to descend at the time of transfer and insert the bobbin into the shuttle and the rings into said jaws, that improvement comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the transferrer arm and having a bobbin tip depressor shoe normally above said path when the transferrer arm is in normal raised position, and means to be engaged by the lever during descent of the transferrer arm on a transferring stroke to move the shoe downwardly relatively to the transferrer arm into engagement with the bobbin to incline the axis of the bobbin downwardly with respect to the shuttle axis and move the bobbin tip to an abnormally low position, there by causing the yarn on the bobbin to depress the fur hairs in a downward direction, the resilient jaws subsequently raising the bobbin to a position substantially parallel with the axis of the shuttle and the frictional engagement tween the bobbin yarn and the fur hairs acting during the raising of the bobbin to restore the fur hairs to normal position.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin movable along a given path to transfer position and having a shuttle to receive the bobbin and lined with fur the hairs of which normally project substantially horizontally into frictional engagement with the yarn on a bobbin in the shuttle, the shuttle having resilient jaws to hold rings on the bobbin and tending normally to hold the bobbin substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, the,

loom having a transferrer arm normally above said path to descend at the time of transfer and insert the bobbin into the shuttle and the rings into said jaws, that improvement comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the transferrer arm and having a bobbin tip depressin shoe, yielding means to hold the shoe out of said path when the transferrer arm is in normal raised position, and fixed means to engage the lever as the transferrer arm descends and effective due to downward motion of the lever with the transferrer arm to move the depressor shoe downwardly relatively to the transferrer arm so that engagement of the shoe with the bobbin as the latter moves into the shuttle will incline the bobbin downwardly with respect to the shuttle axis and move the bobbin tip to an abnormally low position, the yielding jaws subsequently raising the bobbin tip and the frictional contact between the bobbin yarn and the fur hairs lifting the latter to normal position from a depressed position incident to transfer.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin movable along a given path to transfer position and having a shuttle to receive the bobbin and lined with fur the hairs of which normally project substantially horizontally into frictional engagement with the yarn on a bobbin in the shuttle, the shuttle having resilient jaws to hold rings on the bobbin and tending normally to hold the bobbin substantially parallel "with the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, the loom having a transferrer arm normally above'said path to descend at the" time oftransfer and insert the bobbin into the shuttle and the rings into said jaws, that improvement comprising a lever pivoted between its ends to 'th'e-transferrer armqand having a bobbin depressor shoe at one end thereof, yielding means to hold thelever in position with the shoe out of said path when the transferrer arm is in its normal "raised Dosition, and means to engagethe other end of the lever during descent of the transferrerarm during a transferring operation to rock the lever relatively to the transferrer arm and move the fer position and having ashuttle to receive the bobbin and lined with fur the hairs of which normally project substantially horizontally into frictional engagement with the yarn on a' bobbin in the shuttle, the shuttle having resilient jaws to hold rings on the bobbin and tending normallyto hold the bobbin substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, the loom having a transferrer arm normally above said path to descend at the time of transfer and insert the bobbin into the shuttle and the rings into said jaws, that improvement comprising a lever .pivoted between its ends to the transferrer arm and having a bobbin tip depressor shoe at one end thereof located above said path when the transferrer arm is in normal raised-positiom'a stop for the other end of the lever, and adjustable means to cause said stop to engage the other end of the lever after different extents of movement during the descent of the transferrer arm, depending upon the type of weft on the bobbin, said stop during the latter part of the descent of the transferrerrarm causing the shoe to move downwardly with respect to said transferrer arm, whereby engagement between said shoe and the bobbin causes downward inclination of the bobbin' relatively to the shuttle axis to place the bobbin tip in an abnormally low position the fur hairs being depressed diagonally downwardly by the bobbin, the yielding jaws subsequently lifting the bobbin tip and the frictional contact betweenthe bobbin yarn and the depressed furhairs lifting the latter to normal position as the bobbin tip is raised by said yielding jaws.

I3. In a weft replenishing loom having a reserve bobbin and a shuttle into which the bobbin is to be inserted, the bobbin having'a thread end extending therefrom over one end of the shuttle and said shuttle having a thread eye in said end thereof, the loom having transfer mechanism to insert the bobbin into the shuttle, that improvement comprising means to move the tip end of the bobbin to an abnormally low position to draw the weft thread across and downwardly into the shuttle eye during the latter part of a transfer the bobbin tipsubsequent to the transferringing during a transferring stroke of said transfer mechanism to move the tip end of the bobbin to an abnormally low position relatively to the shuttle and thereby draw the Weft thread downwardly to a position between said pads, and means carried by the shuttle to lift the tip end of the bobbin subsequent to a transferring operation and hold the bobbin substantially parallel to the shuttle axis.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

